Work removing conveyor mechanism for heat treating furnaces



oci 16, v1956 A. RUCKSTAHL,

WORK REMOVING CONVEYOR MECHANISM FOR HET TREATING FURNACES Filed June 28, 1954 2 Smets-sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ALFRED RUC K STAH L BY mmm MMM ATTORNEYS Oct. 16, 1956 A. RucKsTAHL 2,756,395

WORK REMOVING CONVEYOR MECHANISM FOR HEAT TREATING FURNCES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1954 FIG2.

S L Y MM E TT M MS O ww .n 1U A R DA E R F L A Y B WORK REMOVING CONVEYOR MECHANISM FR HEAT TREATlNG FURNACES Alfred Ruckstahl, Dearborn, Mich.

Application June 28, 1954, Serial No. 439,516

3 Claims. (Cl. 214-18) The invention relates to heat treating furnaces of th-at type comprising a tunnel and means for advancing the Work therethrough from an entrance at one end to an exit at the other. One means which has heretofore been used for advancing the Work is to place it in trays or other holders which are slidably supported on rails extending longiutdinally of the tunnel. These trays are successively in contact with each other so that a pusher located at the entrance end and intermittently operated will simultaneously advance all of the trays of the series. This same means may be used for pushing the trays through the eXit opening but in some constructions Ithe exit is not at the end of the tunnel but is at one side adjacent to the end.

It is the object of lthe invention to provide a means for removing the trays through a side exit and to this end the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through the exit end of the tunnel showing in plan view the means for removing the trays from the tunnel;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2, Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 3 3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of la portion of Fig. 3.

As the tunnel furnace and the means for advancing the work longitudinally therethrough is not a part of the instant invention, I have merely shown `a small portion thereof adjacent to the exit end. A and A are the opposite side walls of the tunnel and B `are rails spaced from each other and extending longitudinally the entire length of the tunnel. It is to be understood that these rails support the work holding trays C which are arranged in two rows on opposite sides of the center and separated from each other by a longitudinally extending member D. It is also to be understood that the Work trays -are advanced intermittently by pusher means (not shown) at the entrance end engaging the last tray of the series and through it moving all of the trays forward thereof.

T ray removing means At the exit end of the tunnel there is located a means for removing the trays transversely of the furnace through an exit opening E in the side Wall normally closed by a door member F. This removing means comprises a series of spaced rollers G extending longitudinally of the furnace and through apertures A2 in the end wall A3. At their opposite ends these rollers are supported by heat resisting grooves bearings H. The plane of the rollers is slightly higher than the top plane of the rails B but the inner end of each roller has a tapered portion G', the small end of which is below said top plane of the rails. It will thus be apparent that the series of trays intermittently advanced through the tunnel will push the foremost nay olf from the rails B onto the rollers G, being elevated thereon by the camming of the -tapered end portions G. When a tray is thus supported on the rollers G it will 2,766,895 Patented Oct. 16, 1956 icc still be in contact with the succeeding tray of the series by which it was pushed onto said rollers. This would interfere with any transverse movement of the tray by ro tation of said rollers. I have, therefore, provided means for breaking the contact between said trays which consists in simultaneously moving yall of the rollers G longitudinally a short distance towards ythe wall A3. If then, rotary motion is communicated to each of the rollers G and the door F is lifted the tray or trays supported on the rollers will be moved outward through the exit opening E.

Any suitable means may be employed for moving Ithe rollers G axially and for imparting rotary motion thereto, but preferably I employ the following construction:

The rollers G 'are tubular and are formed of a high heat resisting alloy. To the forward end of each roller is attached `a shaft I which passes out through the end wall of the furnace tunnel and is supported by a bearing I mounted om la frame K. The bearing J has an inner `sleeve I which is externally spherical Iand engages a corresponding spherical socket in a portion J2 of the bearing, thus providing a universal pivot for the bearing. Beyond the bearing I the shaft has secured thereto a sprocket L and beyond said sprocket are secured spaced collars M and M with a non-revoluble member M2 therebetween supported by ball bearings M3. A rock shaft N extending transversely above the shafts of all of the rollers is journalled in the frame and is provided with depending rock arms N slotted to engage a pin M4 on the member M2. The rock shaft N is actuated for a limited angular movement by a rock arm O and motor O so as to simultaneously draw outward all of the rollers G to separate the tray resting thereon from the following tray. The sprockets L engage a drive chain L which is intermittently actuated by a motor P.

In operation the motors O and P are intermittently operated in timed relation to each other preferably by a control mechanism which also controls the pusher for advancing all of the trays through the furnace tunnel. This timing mechanism (not shown) operates the motor O' after the forward movement of the trays through the tunnel and then operates the motor P to actuate the chain L and simultaneously rotate all of the rollers G.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. Work removing means for heat treating furnaces of the type in which a series of successively contacting work carriers slidably supported on rails is intermittently advanced through a furnace tunnel by pusher means directly engaging the last introduced work carrier at the entrance end of the furnace; comprising a plurality of parallel spaced rollers with their axes extending longitudinally of said series and onto which the foremost work carrier of the series is pushed, means for simultaneously moving all of said rollers axially sufficiently to withdraw the work carrier thereon from contact with the next succeeding Work carrier, and means for rotating said rollers to move the holder thereon transversely and out through an exit opening from the furnace.

2. The construction as in claim l in which both the axial and rotary movements of said rollers occur dung the intervals of rest of said pusher means.

3. The construction as in claim l in which the top plane of said rollers is above the plane of support for said series of work holders and the rear end portions of said rollers are tapered with their small ends extending below said last mentioned plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 568,211 Savery Sept. 22. 1896 716,999 George Dec. 30, 1902 1,871,832 Absmeier Aug. 16, 1932 

